The Portland Girl Guide to Pre-Wedding Skin Care

The big day is coming up! You’re probably in a flurry of wedding plans—picking out the cake, tailoring the dress, shopping for caterers and photographers. You’re probably taking good care of your body so you’ll look amazing in your dress, but are you giving the same care and attention to your skin?

While your wedding is one of the most exciting days of your life, planning for it can be super stressful! We all know what stress can do to our complexions (hello breakouts!), so your skin needs plenty of extra TLC during this crazy (and amazing!) time.

We created this blog post to highlight a few adjustments in your skincare routine that you’ll want to make 4-6 months prior to your wedding to make sure that your skin is glowing and beautiful on your big day!

Here Are Our Top Wedding Skin Care Tips:

See a professional to get a lineup of stellar products suited to your skin.

The ladies at the mall and Target don’t REALLY know what you and your skin need. Make sure to seek out professional advice before you splurge on products. Talk to a licensed esthetician at a reputable spa (Portland peeps, we’ve got you covered!) who can take a good look at your skin and make knowledgeable recommendations.

A good esthetician can hook you up with products that work for your unique skin type, climate, and body chemistry. Why buy crappy over-the-counter stuff when you could buy products perfectly tailored to your skin?

Cleanse your face daily.

No shortcuts here! Stay away from those over-the-counter cleansing wipes. Clean your face with actual water and an all-natural cleanser that’s appropriate for your skin type. The process of applying warm water to the skin helps to soften the pores and it will help your cleanser do its job! Don’t use a harsh cleanser as these will strip your skin of natural oils and leave it jumping between dry and oily in an attempt to re-balance itself, which leads to all kinds of issues you don’t want to deal with on your big day. Nobody wants flaky skin or pimples in their wedding pictures!

Exfoliate 1 or 2 times per week.

Gentle exfoliation clears the skin of dead skin cells that can build up and clog your pores, causing breakouts and irritation. Once or twice a week, use a soft cloth and GENTLY exfoliate. Overdoing it with a rough cloth or going at it every day can dry and irritate your skin, which prompts your skin to produce more oil. Less is more here! You can also try an exfoliating mask. Try our Plumpkin Pumkin Gylcolic Face Mask to gently exfoliate while hydrating and stimulating cellular regeneration (which mean clearer skin and improved skin tone!).

Avoid greasy foods and a excess sugar (alcohol included).

Now is not the time for fried food and sugary cocktails.

Sugar and grease feed the bacteria in your body, which leads to unnecessary pimples and an overly oily complexion. We are shooting for “dewy” here, not oily. And we’re not saying you shouldn’t live it up at your bachelorette party, but take it easy on the booze, because alcohol is processed like sugar in the body.

Instead, make sure to eat plenty of healthy fats (think nuts and avocado) and produce during the months leading up to your wedding. Your skin will thank you!

Drink water…a LOT of it!

Hydration is key to a clear, dewy complexion and high energy, which you’re going to need while planning a wedding! Carry a water bottle at all times so you can sip throughout the day. Make it fun by infusing it with lemons, cucumbers, and herbs to make it taste delicious and also help cleanse the body. (For some amazing infused water recipes, check out Pinterest!) On the flip side, go easy on beverages that dehydrate you like coffee and caffeinated sodas. You don’t have to cut them out completely, but keep it to a cup or so per day, okay?

Get ONE facial 4-6 days prior to your wedding.

Facials are amazing for your skin, but you don’t want to overdo it before your wedding, especially if you aren’t used to getting them. The week before your wedding, go for a balancing facial using mostly basic massage and deep cleansing. You want something gentle here. This is NOT the time to go overboard with trying new products, peels or devices that you aren’t sure your skin will like.

Our betrothed clients typically book the Glow Bomb because it is deeply cleansing and very hydrating, which helps them a natural glow on their wedding day! Bonus: It’s also a relaxing way to pamper yourself when wedding plans are down to the wire!